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A university study was done on obese viewers perception of The Biggest Loser http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21175630-5006022,00.html

A few unusual comments their that leads me to believe that some of these people didn't watch the show too much.

Ray

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My new book: Winners Do What Losers Don't

Personally having read the article it seems reasonably accurate.

 

While I have not watched every show both series had a introduction about each constant with there resions for loosing weight such as

 

To get a sexual partner. So fat people can’t be sexually attractive.

 

So I won’t die. So fat people must have reduced lifespan and be unhealthy.

 

For my kids. So children of fat people are embarrassed by there parents.

 

Are several stereotypes that come to mind.

 

The show also could reinforce prejudices such as.

 

Exercise is hard. Trainers talking about “breaking” contestants and images if vomiting.

 

If you can’t lose at least 2Kg a week you are not trying hard enough

 

Also while many people don’t religiously watch the show these people form part of the Australian population and if it prejudices these people it is increasing the level of prejudice in the community.

 

Perhaps other questions should be.

 

Have you ever been obese Ray?

 

Have you ever been dismissed from a job without warning for something personal you have no control over?

 

While you may not hold prejudices about fat people are you confident that nobody in Australia does?

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Well I would have chatted with hundreds (if not thousands) of people about The Biggest Loser over the past year and I've rarely found anyone to say anything bad about the way it portrays overweight people. Instead, people describe how much more support they get from family, friends, and their local fitness centre.

The comments you've made about each of the contestants reveals more about your beliefs than anything else. For example, when I see that someone wants to lose weight so they can find a partner I don't think that they can't find one because no one finds them sexually attractive, I realise that they probably can't find someone because they lack confidence when dealing with people of the opposite sex.

No I've never been obese, but I have certainly been the victim of prejudices and yes they were things I had no control over. I've worked damn hard to get where I am now, much harder than most here will ever know. I've had to overcome some obstacles that others would not even attempt to break through.

I'm sure there are people that have prejudices against fat people in this world, but I have absolutely no doubt that very few would spend 30 minutes each night watching a TV show about the type of people they have no time for.

 

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My new book: Winners Do What Losers Don't

I think the populace today is far more educated than at any point in the past. There is wide recognition that being "overweight" represents a danger to the individual, and there is an expectation that individuals will take responsibility for changing their lifestyle accordingly.  Stereotypes?? "So I wont die" isnt a stereotype - its a fact! And the stuff about sexual partners is more about self esteem than stereotype/prejudice. Its more about people wanting to feel good about themselves for different reasons.

I think The Biggest Loser is representative of the above. It encourages people to have a go and to focus on outcomes rather than moaning about their situation.

And yes, i have been obese..... in fact, technically, i still am! However,I feel better for being leaner and fitter, not because i perceive people to judge me differently, but because i feel healthy, i dont sweat while sitting still, and ive educated myself to maintain a healthy menu!  

Cheers

Steve

MerchantOfPanic:

 Stereotypes?? "So I wont die" isnt a stereotype - its a fact!

 

It sounds like we are arguing from different premises I think it is uninformed/prejudiced to think “because I am slim I am healthy”

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I must admit I was not a huge fan of the show and after watching several episodes my opinion of the show has changed.

 

I have not followed this series closely enough to be able to really comment on the current contestants.

 

However last series Fiona had the story of a good male friend she was keen on who made a comment to the effect of “you are a nice chick but” I certainly interpreted this as that they were good friends but the relationship was not going to become intimate because of her size (others may have interpreted this differently).

 

In this series I think there is a woman who claims she wants to make her ex jealous because he left her for a slimmer/ (sexier?) woman. Perhaps if she had high self esteem she would just not care about him anymore.

 

Certainly the media pushes the slim is sexy stereotype even though the existence of fat admirers suggests that not everybody likes a slim partner.

 

I think you are correct in that the prejudiced people don’t follow the show but this doesn’t mean that when they see the ads for the show or hear discussions about the show that they don’t have an opinion.

 

Equally if people start talking about the issues involved with obesity and the show inspires people to be more health conscious it probably achieves more good than bad.

 

As a show it is probably doing something to change society for the better.

 

This is much more than the majority of television programs.

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 I personally find some extra weight on some people can be extremely attractive.

Weight shouldn't really be an issue, but health certainly should, and you don't have to be skinny to be fit.

For some people being big is just who they are, and they should be allowed to feel comfortable with that.

I also think that some people don't suit being skinny, Big Wal for example looks much better with some meat on him than he did at the finale.

 

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A goal without a plan is just a wish.

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 - 1944)

I must admit whenever I watch the show there seems to be a regular message of “losing weight will improve your life”

 

While it seems reasonable to suggest that there are all sorts of advantages to being slim and fit.

 

I think it is naive to think that getting slim and fit will magically fix all your problems.

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I think it is true to say that there is a an undercurrent of a slim = healthy mindset in society. But i think this mindset is changing. It is my experience that people today talk about "health and wellbeing" rather than "weight". As an example, i have a good friend who is diabetic and is, by his own definition, overweight. He has struggled for years to control his weight - he knows full well the health implications of this. He has to work very hard on both diet and exercise to keep things in check, which he does. The issue though is that the amount of respect that people have for him is incredible. People who know him know how hard it is for him to maintain a balance on work, exercise, diet, kids, home life etc. Despite everything against him he still does his best to live a healthy lifestyle and people respect this - despite the fact he does not fit the so called "ideal" shape. And generally speaking this is a common thread - if someone is having a go at being healthy, no matter what stage they are at, ie beginning or having been at it for a year or more, people will generally respect that and are likely to be supportive. This was not always the case in the past where people just tended to judge others strictly on appearance alone. Of course there will always be the pathetic redneck element out there that still do this, but i think these are well and truly in the minority these days.

I think that the biggest loser supports this. It is as much about people having a go and adopting a healthy (and i would agree with anyone who takes issue with losing 50 kilos in 2-3 months as being pitched as healthy) lifestyle as it is about the winner. I think it reinforces the point that life is about the choices you make and that even if you have made bad ones in the past, this does not dictate your future. You can make a decision to change and be healthy, and, as im sure many people on this forum would testify, many people take a lot of enjoyment in sharing their experience as they change both physically and mentally as they become healthy - i know my wife and family and work colleagues have taken a keen interest and derive enjoyment from my personal progress. Just like a lot of us do with the contestants on the biggest loser.

Cheers

Steve

I agree with Don - thin is NOT necessarily healthy. There was a study that found people can be overweight and fit.  And any well muscled person may fit into the 'overweight' category on teh BMI.  I am still classifiied as 'obese' but I can walk a fairly fast 5 km every morning, and when I went ot the gym I could work out at high intensity for an hour with no problems.  I got a bit breathless, but that's the whole idea.  It wopuld be much better if we all spoke of "getting fit/healthier" rather than "losing weight", but for most of us the losing weight is recognised as a path to better health than we enjoy while obese.  Personally I know the 25+ kgs I have lost have made a HUGE difference to me healthwise, and that includes mental health and self-esteem.

That said, I think this quote from the article is spot on : "Dr Thomas said the desperation of people living with obesity to get on to shows such as The Biggest Loser highlighted the lack of community help for those battling weight problems."      There is plenty of help for those who can afford a gym/trainer/food package diet but not a great deal for those who fit into a poorer socio-economic demographic.  And it is this group where obesity is high.

Society needs nutrition and exercise information to be available for these people at centres like family planning clinics, for a minimal or no fee.  And community PT classes would not go astray either.

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Odille

Low carb 10/09/05
F/170cm/53

By being slim fixing all your problems I was meaning that if your husband is a philandering root rat if the woman looses a lot of weight it is unlikely the husband will suddenly turn into a loyal and attentive person.

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OMG Don! I just cleared my sinuses with Diet Coke! LOL!

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Caution: Sarcastic and Cynical!!!

Jane personally I would think that rinocort or one of the nasal spays would work better but did the coke zero work?

 

Looking at the forums on the BLA website there seems to be plenty of narrow minded bigoted people posting on those forums.

 

But these forums could be more about the TV show rather than weight loss.

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